The Krish Srikkanth log - Feb. 13-Feb. 19

The only worry I still have about the Indian batting is the middle order. We need to improvise and shuffle them a bit - according to the situation. When India was going strong, putting 99 runs for the first wicket in quick time, there was no need to send in Dinesh Mongia.

Mongia consumed a lot of deliveries, got bogged down for good, and slowed the momentum. India has to be careful about this aspect of their game. It would have been a better idea to send young Yuvraj Singh at number three; he is a natural free flowing and attacking batsman,

A comprehensive win for India against Zimbabwe; this should put their World Cup campaign back on its course. It was a wonderful teamwork today, players complimenting each other, and to bounce back like this after losing to Australia is simply fantastic.

It was quite nice to see the players communicating a lot more in the field. If India can build on this win and keep the momentum going, we could be on a roll. Indeed, nothing succeeds like success.

The body language of the Indian team has been a lot positive after putting up 255 runs on the board. I was quite impressed watching Srinath charge in to bowl, there was a spring in his step, and the early wickets made all the difference.

The positive approach was quite evident from the moment Sehwag and Tendulkar came out to open the innings earlier in the day. Scoring 91 runs in the first 15 overs, hammering the bowlers to all parts of the field, also helped the team's cause.

I think this Zimbabwe side is a very ordinary when it comes to bowling and batting. And that factor has really helped India in marching towards a win here at Harare. With the exception of Andy Flower and Heath Streak, they just don't have class players, and that has been their undoing too.

What I like about Virender Sehwag is that he plays his natural game no matter what it is. Even in New Zealand on damp and seaming tracks, he went out and played his shots, which made him the most successful batsman in the one-day series.

It is important that each member of the team goes out and plays to his strength. Sehwag has done well as an opener in the past one year; it always helps to have an opening batsman who can go out and hammer the bowling to submission.

It is beginning to look hopeless now for the Indian team. One feels a sense of helplessness, since we have to choose from this squad of 15 and we have tried all seven batsmen in the squad in both games. We just do not have the options. Maybe they could try Sanjay Bangar as opener; at least we could hope to bat through 50 overs.

There is simply no chance of making any more excuses. The wickets were damp in New Zealand, the track in Paarl was too slow...what about the one at Centurion? It was a good track to bat on, with the ball coming on to the bat nicely. And on such a surface, we won the toss and elected to bat. What else can a team ask for at this level?

What I saw at Centurion was absolutely shocking. It was a hopeless batting display. There was nothing wrong with the wicket, but except Sachin Tendulkar, all other batted like novices.

After getting off to a brisk start - 40 for one in seven overs - in the next 11 overs to score just 10 runs and lose four valuable wickets is something that cannot be tolerated. It was a shameful performance, one that lacked even the sense of pride of playing for the country.

When Tendulkar started hitting a few boundaries, both Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee started losing their line and length. Had the Indian batsmen applied themselves a little and run a few singles, giving enough strike to Tendulkar, India could have been looking at a score of close to 230 runs.

I think the Indian players should forget about the past, go out and play natural cricket. The Indians have a good team to do the job today. The Aussies are not as great a side as they have been projected to be. They don't have regular fourth and fifth bowlers, and their middle order is quite brittle. All this put together, I think India has a very good chance of winning this game against Australia.

Any game against the current world champions Australia is bound to be a difficult one. Despite this, India would look forward to upsetting the mighty Aussies at SuperSport Park on Saturday and impart fresh momentum to their World Cup campaign.

I, for one, am quite confident that even despite the depressing Indian batting display against the Netherlands on Wednesday, we can succeed in the mission if we get our act together.

India have their best chance if they snare a couple of early wickets. Given the nature of tracks in South Africa this time around, I think Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh will have a huge role to play in the game. India's main worry will be their batting, and they will have to concentrate hard.

The West Indies gifted away a crucial World Cup game to New Zealand at Port Elizabeth. It was not that New Zealand bowlers did exceptional to claim wickets, but the West Indies batsmen with an atrocious batting display threw away their wickets. Now Pool B has been thrown wide open, but it was a golden opportunity for the West Indies to gain four points and assure themselves of a place in Super Six.

New Zealand was outstanding in the field, and Brian Lara's run-out by Chris Cairns was the turning point of the game. Jacob Oram's catch took at long leg to dismiss Ridley Jacobs must rate as one of the best catches in this World Cup so far.

One thing that we must note from the games played so far is that contrary to what most people would have expected, the South African tracks are not bouncy and fast. That could very well be due to the dry weather conditions in this part of the world.